Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1887-02-23
A CITY AMBULANCE.
The Dark Wagons Frequently
Seen In New York Streets.
Some Of the Odd Experiences Of the
Doctors in Charge.

Yes, on that black, spcctrcliie vehicle
chat dashcs by with speed only second
to that of fire engine, there are Incl
dents occurring that are amusing as well
as pathetic, and, from moralists stand
point, arc also instructive.
Probably the major part of the human
family, outside of the medical profcs-
sion, have associated naught but grim
ideas with that black wagon and gallop'
ing horse, and only connect them with
dcath-bed scenes, with the shadow Of
the cemetery lurking in the background.
But it doesn't always mean that somc-
body is bidding farewell to this earthly
life every time you hear the clang of the
bells and the rush of the wheels and
catch glimpse Of the sombrc cover
over your shoulder as it rushcs past.
Oh, mol 1t may mean an accident, or
n case of pneumonia or rheumatism, oil
it may mcan'only "drunk."
But that latter is generally the most
serious in the surgeons eyes, for he
knows it means strict surveillance on his
part for the next twenty minutes.
zone night" said downtown ply
siclan, "when was on tho Bellevue
Hospital ambulance, there was call
from the Fifty-ninth street station house.
When we got up there found it was
only case of tremcns. The man was
tall and sallow, like a Mexican. | had
a great deal Of trouble to keep him in
the ambulance. He assured me there
were little white elephants hanging by
their tails all around him. He described
their antics to ne, and thea began to
count them. II was a very cold, windy
night, and the wind blew through the
wagon in gusts. The man fought hard
to get out of the ambulance, and final
ly had to fasten him down to the bot
tom 10 keep him quiet"
81 remember one night in December,
it was bitterly coll, und three calls came
in at once from the Toombs. One was a
case OF tremcns, one was an old man
who had rheumatism and the other WAS
n woman who was suff firing with plcur-
sy. 1t was storming hard outside, an |
the three were huddled in the wagon
shivcring with cold. There was only
one blanket, and that | wrapped around
the woman, who was most in need. Bu
the old man groancd inc.ssantly, for the
jots of the wagon made the rheumatism
crcak in his joints. His complaining
aroused the woman's sympathy to tht
highest pitch, and she magnanimolsly
offered him the blanket. | Iobjcctcl to
that, however aud then she gave hin,
one corner of it. Between the three il
one ambulance l had my hands full
and wasn't sorry when we rolled undcI
the archway into the hospital yard.
81 had a sad case in Pitt street on,
day in October. remember the SUI
was shining very brightly in the street
when went at noon, into rear tcnc-
mcnt. We gropcd through the darE
halls to n room where there was grca
deal of excitement, and going in foun'
a little girl, four years old, who had bccr
terribly burned. The mother, a Hebrew
woman, had gone out and locked he
two little children in the room, whcl
the eldest of them caught her dress il
the fire and in moment was cnvcIopcC
in flames. The ncighbors rushed in anC
the fire was finally put out but the littl
one had inhaled the fame and could no
possibly liv'. She did not suffer much
apparently, and her parents could no
be brought to believe that she was in S
dangerous condition, and when, fcy
hours after, she died in their arms the,
could not be consoled. They lived in
room about eight by fourteen feet square
and there were fully twenty peopl
crowded in there. The child lay on
lounge and they crowded around till
could scarcely get through to sec her.
"Thcrc was another case of a chill
that l once had. 1t was in the middl
of the afternoon that the clll came. w
hurried up to forty-cighth street, nca
second avenue. The case was in the to-
OF a six story tenement. 1t seems the
were building another tenement just mex
door OF equal height, and there was n
air shaft between the two builing:
There were lot Of children playing o
the roof, and they. amused themselves b
jumping across the air shaft. OF cours
one of them fell and went the whole 81
stories to the bottom of the basement
She struck on pile of lumber and fcl
on her shoulder in some way, so that he
back was broken below the neck. The
carried her up again to the room, bu
her mother was out, and it was ncarl
three hours before the ambulance Wa
summoned and the child was take
away. She WAS paralyzed and lay in tn
hospital sixteen months. Then she WI
pronounced incurable, put in n rolln
chair and removed t. tho hospital fC
crippled children"
"Do the hospitals keep the amb'
lances and horses always in readiness
something after the manner OF fire con
paniesT
"Somc hospitals have the drop ha
ness, others keep horse always ha
messed, and Others still keep to Il
slower way of Harvesting up when Il
call comes in. Ibclievc the New Yor
Hospital keeps horse standing ha
messed night aud day.
"At Bellevue the call comes in |
telephone. The lit lie crippled man wi
stands in the office takes down the ca
goes out on the steps and blows thr'
blasts on a big whistle, and by the tin